Anchorage Daily News

To any women holding stones and aiming them at Gov. Sarah Palin:

May I have a moment of your time?

When John McCain chose Palin as his running mate, I expected her to be roundly rejected by Hillary Clinton fans and pro-choicers. I also expected Palin's political readiness for the vice presidency to be questioned.

But what I didn't expect -- and can't accept -- is a growing bevy of barbs aimed at Palin's credentials as a mother. It disturbs me particularly that -- if chat rooms, CNN's iReports and comment lists are any guide -- women are the originators of most of this criticism. The bad-mama comments revolve around two main themes: Palin returned to her gubernatorial duties three days after giving birth to a Down syndrome baby; and Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.

As for her returning to work soon after baby Trig's birth, does anyone remember that Palin had a state to run? A job she was doing quite well, if record-high approval ratings are an indicator. But, complains one much-echoed commentator who identified herself only as "a Mom" on a CNN message board: "As a Mother, Sarah's first duty is to her newborn child, and her other children. It's very difficult to have a job and rear your children."

I don't take issue with the statement that it is hard to balance young children and a full-time job. But in taking on her party's incumbent governor, and winning, Sarah Palin has shown herself to be capable of extraordinary things.

Clearly, "Mom" can't. Maybe most people can't. And -- let's get this out of the way -- I can't. I left my career as a military officer while I was pregnant with my first child.

However, encouraging sweeping generalizations about mothers' limitations hurts women as a class.

But, no, "Mom" and her backers will retort: What about Bristol? Sarah (quaint, isn't it, how so many women across the country are on a first-name basis with the governor and equal to giving her motherhood advice over a latte) has problems at home, and she should leave the race to focus on them.

I have two little girls, and I pray every night that they never find themselves in Bristol's frightening situation at such a young age. But I'd be foolish to tempt karma by being smug and acting as if teen pregnancy didn't affect many a good kid from many a good family. This is not an indictment of the Palins' parenting.

One final thought: The vice president makes roughly $200,000 and lives rent-free with his (or her) family at Number One Observatory Circle in D.C. That salary should allow an able-bodied Ice Dog champion and a well-chosen domestic helper to manage the Palin brood very well.

So, ladies, let's stop slamming doors in each other's faces. My two daughters will thank you.

Heather Goodwin is a part-time copy editor who runs a Web business from home. She and her husband have two young daughters.

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